How much is my tuition?

Tuition for the MS-ESH program is $965 per unit.

With a total of 30 units, the full cost of tuition for the program is $28,950.

Tuition amounts shown on this website, or in other university publications or web pages, represent tuition and fees as currently approved. However, the University of San Diego reserves the right to increase or modify tuition and fees without prior notice and to make such modifications applicable to students enrolled at USD at that time as well as to incoming students. In addition, all tuition amounts and fees are subject to change at any time to correct errors. Please note that the displayed tuition covers only the cost of courses, and additional expenses such as books and other fees are not included.

How many units is my program?

The online MS-ESH program is a total of 30 units.

Students will enroll in two prescribed courses each semester for a total of six (6) semester units. During your final term, students will enroll in a single 6-unit capstone course only.

Is this a full-time or part-time program?

The University of San Diego considers 9 or more units as full-time student status. Your program is designed to be part-time, and students enroll in just 6 units per semester. There is no full-time option for this program.

How do I register or drop classes?

All students are manually enrolled each semester by the USD Student Success team. If you are not able to enroll for a term or if you need to drop your courses, it is your responsibility to notify your Program Coordinator. All students will be held to the respective drop deadlines and refund schedule detailed in your Student Handbook.

Where do I find my bill and how do I pay it?

Login to your my.sandiego.edu student portal. Under the “My Student Account” tab, review the tutorials for directions on how to view and pay your bill, set up a payment plan, and enroll in eRefund (Direct Deposit). View the “Tuition and Payment Methods” on your Student Success Center for further details.

Where can I view my final grades?

Log into your my.sandiego.edu student portal and navigate to the “Torero Hub” section on the sidebar. Click on the “My Academics” tab and locate the “View My Grades” link in the top-middle section. Alternatively, you can view your program progress at a glance using the “Degree Works” link.

If you notice a grade inconsistency between Canvas and your MySanDiego portal, please email your instructor to verify what the final grade should be. Your instructor has the ability to update the posted grade.

How do I see my degree plan and track my progress?

Log into your my.sandiego.edu student portal and then use the “Degree Works” link to view your degree audit.

You can find the “Degree Works” link in the Torero Hub under the “My Academics” page. If you are interested in requesting a tailored degree plan, please email [email protected].

What if I need to take a break from courses?

If you need to take time off from your program, please email your Program Coordinator or the Student Success team at [email protected]. Since you have submitted your enrollment commitment, our team will automatically register you in courses each term unless you have previously notified the team about taking a break.

How do I order transcripts?

To order your official, unofficial, or e-transcript(s), view the transcript ordering options page. Otherwise, you can view unofficial/order official transcripts through your MySanDiego portal. Under the “Torero Hub” sidebar option, click on the “My Academics” page, then click on “Request Official Transcript” under the “My Classes” section.

When will I get my diploma?

Congratulations on finishing your program! Diplomas are mailed about 6-8 weeks after the degree requirements have been met and processed. Diplomas are mailed to the current address on file at the time degree requirements are completed. (To check your address information, login to your my.sandiego.edu student portal and view your personal information under My Torero Services.)

You will first be emailed a copy of your e-diploma from Parchment prior to receiving your mailed physical diploma.

Who do I talk to if I have additional questions or concerns about my program?

Throughout your program and after graduation, your Student Success team is here to help! We recommend contacting your Program Coordinator directly, but you can also email our team address at [email protected].

In addition to our team, your Academic Director is a great resource!

Where can I find some writing resources?

All writing assignments must be formatted according to APA standards. Discussion posts must contain the appropriate APA citations. If you are unfamiliar with APA formatting, or simply require additional writing support, we recommend referencing the Purdue Online Writing Lab (also called OWL@Purdue). In addition to general writing support, the website includes a special section dedicated to  APA formatting guidelines.

To further support your writing, we highly recommend using the School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES) Graduate Student Writing Center. Students are encouraged to submit written course assignments via the digital submission form for online feedback from a professional writing coach. See site for details.

What should I do if I miss a week of class?

This course moves very quickly, and it is important that you turn in all assignments on or before their due dates. If, because of an emergency, you have missed a week or more of course work, please contact your professor immediately to inform them. While there is no guarantee that you will be allowed to make up your work, informing your professor early is the best way to get back on track and finish your course successfully.

Please do not wait more than a week without informing your professor. If your instructor’s email is not already visible on the Canvas course, please use the USD directory to find their contact information.

What can I expect for deadlines in my course?

The 7-week courses traditionally follow a weekly pattern with three important days:

• Tuesdays – When the class/modules start. It’s recommended to read the Module Overview, review readings/media, and begin to think about ideas for the discussion board.
• Fridays – When the initial discussion board posts are due. Remember that posts are due before 11:59 PM PST.
• Mondays – When discussion board replies and assignments are due. Most discussion boards expect 2 replies per week.

Please note that there may be some exceptions to this structure. Always refer to the syllabus for deadline details. Please contact the course instructor with any questions.

What are the course surveys? Do I have to complete them every course?

The course surveys are an opportunity to give your feedback on the course assignments, instructors, pacing, workload, learning management system, accessibility, etc. The feedback is reviewed by school leadership and used to determine how courses should be improved for future iterations. All surveys are completely anonymous – which is why your instructors have to make public announcements asking for everyone to submit their surveys. Feedback in the survey will not affect your final grade.

Course surveys traditionally open during the final weeks of the course and close before final grades are posted. The instructors and USD Student Success Team will remind you to complete these surveys for each class. Your program appreciates the time you take to improve the student experience!

Does USD use latin honors (magna cum laude, summa cum laude, cum laude, etc.) for students graduating from master’s programs?

No, it is uncommon for institutions to offer Latin honors to graduate students because graduate programs already assume a high level of academic achievement and rigor. The idea is that earning a graduate degree itself signifies excellence, making additional distinctions unnecessary: graduate students are held to a high academic standard, and successful completion of a graduate program inherently reflects significant achievement. For this reason, most institutions, including USD, do not offer Latin honors for graduate students.

If you are looking for a way to highlight your high academic achievement at USD, we recommend including your GPA on your resume, LinkedIn, etc.